You must understand that shortly after his visit to the Fyne cottage (with all its consequences), Anthony had got an offer to go to the Western Islands, and bring home the cargo of some ship which, damaged in a collision or a stranding, took refuge in St.Michael, and was condemned there.

Roderick Anthony had connections which would put such paying jobs in his way.

So Flora de Barral had but a five months' voyage, a mere excursion, for her first trial of sea-life.
And Anthony, dearly trying to be most attentive, had induced this Mrs.
Brown, the wife of his faithful steward, to come along as maid to his bride.

But for some reason or other this arrangement was not continued.
And the mate, tormented by indefinite alarms and forebodings, regretted it.

He regretted that Jane Brown was no longer on board--as a sort of representative of Captain Anthony's faithful servants, to watch quietly what went on in that part of the ship this fatal marriage had closed to their vigilance.